Melting snow on the rooftop of the Upper Deck Grill and Bar and Player's Beach Club on Wednesday afternoon was causing a big problem and a real mess for the business at 55 S. Lake St. in downtown Forest Lake. Forest Lake Fire & Rescue was called shortly before 4 p.m. when bar management observed water coming in from the ceiling area in a number of locations near the bar. Here, Forest Lake Fire Chief Gary Sigfrinius, far right in blue, and several firefighters prepare to be lifted to the roof to continue their inspection. Sigfrinius said the big worry related to the melting water is the possibility of structural damage to the roof. Large quantities of water had managed to leak through to the interior of the business.

Photo By Cliff Buchan) 

It should take another two weeks for the Washington County Board of Commission to decide if it will approve a new metro-wide sales tax to support transit programs.

County Board Chair Dennis Hegberg, District One, Forest Lake, said he is optimistic the county board will adopt the tax. Under the transportation-funding bill adopted by legislature, counties in the metro area are given the option of adding a .25 additional sales tax to support transit needs in the metro area.

A Forest Lake woman wanted for an alleged assault of another woman at Player's Beach Club in Forest Lake on Saturday night was arrested by city police after a 30-minute foot chase through the yards of nearby homes and on the lake ice of First Lake. Police were called to the bar at 55 S. Lake St. at 11:34 p.m. to investigate a report of a fight and the assault of a 27-year-old Lindstrom woman.

An attempt to stop Racheal Renee Stone, 27, of 1244 SE 4th St., was not successful as the woman fled police on foot, running through yards and on the lake ice of First Lake to the south of the bar. With the city's canine officer Matrix in pusuit, Stone surrendered to police at 12:12 a.m. Sunday. She was taken to the Washington County Jail in Stillwater where she was booked and held on probable cause of assault and fleeing police, according to Chief of Police Clark Quiring.

Quiring said the woman who was the victim of the alleged assault was taken by ambulance to Regions Hospital, St. Paul, with back and leg pain. 

Today's update on the 2008 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race brings positive news for Ken Anderson, the former Forest Lake resident who is making his eighth appearance in Alaska's world famous race. Anderson's wife and kennel partner Gwen Holdman reports that her husband is feeling fine and has a team of 15 dogs that are in top condition. With Lance Mackey and Jeff King leading the pack, Anderson remains in the top 10 and is  hoping to move up as the race heads to Unalakleet and on to the White Mountains. For more updates, go to www.iditarod.com or the Anderson-Holdman web page, www.windycreekkennel.com and click on kennel updates.

Ken Anderson in Kaltag carrying his cooker and gear out of the checkpoint as he prepares to head for Unalakleet.

(Photo Courtesy of Gwen Holdman)